Pelous: England are still a major threat

FRANCE captain Fabien Pelous insists England are still the team to beat even though France are the only side still in RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam contention.

The French emerged as title favourites from a weekend of championship upsets following their 29-22 victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff yesterday.

France will be expected to make it four wins out of four against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday before facing England in what should still be the championship decider in Paris.

But Pelous knows England will still be a major threat to France’s title ambitions despite Sir Clive Woodward’s men losing their proud unbeaten record against Ireland at Twickenham.

“We are still on target and in some ways it does not matter about England’s result against Ireland,” said Pelous.

“Ireland put in all their effort against England. They played with talent, desire and a will to succeed and it got them the result.

“But we have to put the result into perspective. If we forget about our victory over England in Marseille when it was not their first team then England have not lost for a very long time.

Meanwhile Ieuan Evans believes that Wales must sharpen up their set-piece game for next week’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against England at Twickenham.

“Wales will have to concentrate first and foremost on tightening up their scrum if they are to have any chance of springing a surprise against England,” said Evans.

“The focus now turns to Twickenham, and there is much work to be done there if we are to avoid a repeat.

“So the bottom line is that we simply have to have solidity there, a platform for the backs if we are to ask them (England) any searching questions.

“Wales have to take a leaf out of the Irish book. They have to pressurise England and work the set-pieces with the aggression that Ireland displayed.”